Racks



H. JOSEPH June 19, 1962 RACKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1960 INVENTOR. HE VEY JOSEPH June 19, 1962 H. JOSEPH 3,039,620

RACKS Filed Sept. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HEN/Q) 7055/ /74 FWOE/VEY.

ite States This invention relates to racks, and more particularly to racks adjustably mounting shelving of one sort or another.

In its broad aspect, the invention proposes a rack wherein a plurality of units are provided which may be attached, rearranged, added to or subtracted from, to suit the desires and convenience of the user without having to remove the contents of the shelves in effecting the rearrangement, except possibly the shelves of the units to be removed or added.

Also broadly considered, the invention contemplates provision of units of universal character, that is, such that they may be used either end up, or at either end of the shelves, and insertable between any other units or at the top or bottom thereof.

More specifically, the invention provides shelf-supporting units in groups, here shown as pairs, for each end of the shelves, and each unit having a plurality of correspondingly arranged brackets or shelf-supporting lugs for adjustably locating shelves at any desired spacing from each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide for release of any pair of units, or group of more than two if used, from support of units thereabove so that the group or pair of released units may be disengaged from the 'units next below and raised for insertion of another pair or group of units.

Still another object of the invention is to minimize the amount of lift required in making rearrangement to release any pair or group of units.

Other objects, advantages and structural features will appear to persons skilled in the art to which the invention appertains as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof and from the context.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet wherein my improved rack is shown in use;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of two sets of units in relation for supporting shelves therebetween;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of a part of one vertical tier of units, showing how they are supported one by another and how separation thereof is effected; and

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of one of the units indi cating dimensional relation of parts composing the same.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawings, the reference numeral designates an upright enclosure here shown as an open-front cabinet having a base 11 supporting thereabove upright side walls 12, 12 and back wall 13. A rigid valance 14 extends crosswise between the side walls at the front edges next to the top thereof. The enclosure or cabinet is intended for such purpose as the storage of materials and is equipped with shelving of appropriate character which may therefore be flat, recessed or otherwise constructed to meet the requirements of intended use. For instance, the shelves may be flat for receiving stacks of numbered forms. Heretofore, when found necessary to interpolate a new set of forms between two others already on successive shelves, the stacks of forms had to be shifted one at a time to clear an intermediate shelf for the new set. According to the present invention, the shelves are carried by supporting 3,0395% Patented June 19, 1962 units at each corner arranged in opposite pairs, representative of any number per group, and all shelves and units down to a desired level may be released from support from ones therebelow and raised for enabling another set of four or more units and accompanying shelf to be inserted at that level.

The selected disclosure for illustration of the invention comprises units 15 here shown in sets of four, two at each end of the shelf, although groups of more than two may be used. As all of said units are identical to each other, and constructed furthermore to be reversible and invertable, description of one will suflice to obtain an understanding of all. Each unit is of elongated character with an over-all height H with smooth or planar front and back faces and with notched or recessed side edges. The notching sequentially from top to bottom on one side edge is duplicated in the same sequential order, but from bottom to top, at the other side edge. Each side edge pro vides a series of shelf-receiving notches 16 beginning at one end and at even intervals along the edge toward the other end for an over-all height h, the series of notches stopping short of said other end where there. is provided a long interlocking notch 17.

The lands between the notches constitute lugs or shelf brackets 13, the two end ones of the series having, in direction longitudinally of the unit, a height a, whereas the intermediate ones have a height 2a (twice the height of the end ones) as indicated in FIG. 5. Therefore when units are placed end-to-end, the proximate end lugs have a combined height equal to the height of the intermediate lugs. The interlocking notch 17 has a height 6a, six times the height of the end lugs or three times the height of the shelf-receiving notches and of the intermediate lugs. At the extreme end of the interlocking notch 17 there is an interlocking lug 19 the height of which (longitudinally of the unit) is shown as equal to the heights 2a of the intermediate lugs.

It will be observed that the lateral depth of theinterlocking notch is greater than the lateral depth of the shelfreceiving notches and that the interlocking lug 19 does not project laterally as far as the intermediate lugs. Considering the lateral depth of the shelf-receiving notches as having a dimension [2, the depth of the interlocking notch has a dimension 3b and the wall thickness between the lateral bottom of the interlocking notch and the bottoms of the shelf-receiving notches on the other side of the unit is a dimension b. Then again, the lateral projection of the interlocking lug from the lateral bottom of the interlocking notch is likewise a dimension b. Thus when the units are in their interlocking relation, with the interlocking lugs located in the interlocking notches of each other, the outer edges of the shelf-supporting lugs of both units at a corresponding side of each will be in a common plane, and similarly the outer edges of the shelf-supporting lugs of both units at the opposite side thereof will also be ina common plane. The distance between those planes is herein referred to as the maximum width of the units and is the summation of dimension b taken five times.

It may now be noted that since the lateral depth of the interlocking notch is a dimension of three times dimension b, a shoulder 20 of 3b depth is provided next to the last lug of the series, that lug being one that has only a height a longitudinally of the unit. The end of the unit beyond the interlocking notch has a width likewise of dimension of three times dimension b, and forms an end shoulder 21. Thus, when two units are located in their interlocking relation and longitudinally contracted toward each other, the interlocking notch shoulder 20 of each will fit against the respective end shoulder 21 of the other unit and thereby afford a solid footing of the upper one of the two on the unit thereunder.

It is now appropriate to point out that the height of the interlocking notch, that is to say, the length of that notch longitudinally of the unit, has a dimension three times the corresponding length of the interlocking lug, and since the interlocking lug has a dimension of 2a, the interlocking notch has a dimension of 62. Consequently, when two units are in interlocking relation, and lapping as far as permitted, there will be a recess 22 formed by the spacing of the lateral bottoms of the interlocking notches from each other a distance b and bounded at its ends by the two interlocking lugs 19 with a spacing the dimension of which, longitudinally of the unit, is 40. This spacing is to aiford play by lifting one unit longitudinally from another and thus release a lower one from support of the unit or units thereabove when a rearrangement is desired at that location.

For convenience in handling and in placing the units, it is preferable to retain them in pairs for location at a shelf end, and as here shown, rods 23 extend from one unit to another from the fiat faces thereof and are riveted or otherwise secured to each of that pair of units. A shelf 24 located at one end in the shelf-receiving notches 16 of one pair of units will be supported at its other end in corresponding notches of an opposite pair of units. The units are all arranged so that the interlocking notches next to the lower end of each faces inwardly of the enclosure, whereas the interlocking notches next to the upper ends of the units face outwardly toward the adjacent side Walls 12 of the enclosure. The two top units of each pair of the series of units at each side of the enclosure are adapted to have horizontally disposed lifting bars 25 positioned in the respective pairs of interlocking notches 17, and means, described below, is provided for lifting said bars and units suspended therefrom.

In order to avoid the necessity of taking up the slack represented by recesses 22 in all such as have a location above the particular one where spacing is desired, chocks 26 are provided for all of said recesses, here shown as bars which extend from the front units back to the rear units parallel to the rods 23. The particular chocks at the location where spacing is desired, are removed, and thus all of the lifting tolerance will be effective at that joint only. The lifted units may be swung forwardly sufilciently for the interlocking lugs to clear each other and then the lifted sections may be still further lifted adequate distance to admit insertion of another pair of units at each side of the enclosure. The lifted units will then be lowered onto the newly inserted units, and chocks inserted until another rearrangement is required.

The hoist 33 herein shown for lifting the units provides a shaft 27 extending cross-wise of the enclosure near the top thereof behind valance 14, and is conveniently rotatably mounted at its ends 39 in the side walls 12. Secured on said shaft are two drums or spools 28 above the respective lifting bars 25. Cables 29 are secured to the spools to wind thereon, the lower ends of the cables being attached, as by shackles 30 to the mid-parts of the lifting bars. Suitable drive is provided for the spool-shaft, such as by a gear 31 fast thereon in mesh with a pinion 32 coaxial with and fast with respect to a worm gear 33 on a stub shaft 34. A worm 35 meshes with the worm gear and is preferably arranged longitudinally vertical so as to be rotated by hand or otherwise through the agency of such means as hand crank 36 and universal joint 37. Presence of the worm will keep the shaft and spools from turning backwardly except upon intentional rotation of the worm, so when an operator lifts the units and shelves, his hands will be free to insert the desired sections in the rack.

The invention accordingly provides stable means for support of a plurality of shelves or the like, and provides for ready rearrangement, addition or subtraction of shelves and their contents, and provides for release of supporting units from each other at only the position where the rearrangement is to be made.

Iclaim:

1. A rack for use between and contiguous to fixed side parallel walls, comprising a plurality of elongated units, duplicates of each other, having notches at two opposite edges of each, an assembly of said units endwise of each other establishing a corner post for the rack, and each rack having a plurality of said corner posts adapted to engage said fixed side walls, the notch on one edge being duplicated by a notch in the other edge of each unit but in reverse direction of arrangement longitudinally of the unit and with one notch proximate to one end of the unit and the other notch proximate to the other end of the unit and with notches of successive units overlapping and interengaging with and laterally removable from each other, and bracket means along said opposite edges of each unit for receiving and supporting shelf members at successive selective intervals along each unit, and shelf members at successive selected intervals along said unit engaged with and supported by said bracket means, said members holding the notches of successive units interengaged when in use between and contiguous to fixed side walls, and bracing means retaining said units of pairs of units at the ends of said shelf members in spaced parallel relation to each other.

2. A rack in accordance with claim 1, wherein said notches provide a predetermined longitudinal movement of each unit with respect to a successive unit, said bracing means comprising tie-rods securing said units of pairs of units with the respective said notches at corresponding ends of the units of each pair facing in the same direction, corresponding said bracket means of each unit of said pair receiving and supporting a said shelf member at one end of said member and the opposite end of said member received and supported by another said pair of units.

3. A rack in accordance with claim 2, wherein hoisting means is provided in engagement with the uppermost pairs of the successive units.

4. A rack in accordance with claim 2, wherein chocks are provided in the several said notches and removable from the notches at the level where rearrangement is desired, and hoist means is provided in engagement with the uppermost pairs of the successive units at opposite ends of said members and adapted to lift all of said units as a group as far down as where chocks have been removed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 398,188 Rittinger Feb. 19, 1889 888,612 Hovendick May 26, 1908 985,924 Nelson Mar. 7, 1911 1,418,435 Gardiner June 6, 1922 1,473,228 Grundel Nov. 6, 1923 2,712,199 Latirner July 5, 1955 

